1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motorcycle tie down which be used to hold a motorcycle in place on a truck or other transporting vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is important to maintain a motorcycle securely in place in an upright position on a pickup truck or trailer. If the motorcycle is not securely held in place, it can fall over should the transporting vehicle hit bumps or if there is excessive vibration. This not only could result in damage to the motorcycle but also could cause damage to the transporting vehicle or persons in the vicinity who may be sharing the road or highway.
Prior art tie down systems leave much to be desired. With the usual tie down approach, the cycle is held in place by ropes or straps attached to the handlebars. The curved shapes of most handlebars are such that traditional hooks on web straps can easily attach to them. The handlebar shapes of some custom motorcycles, however, are such that they prevent the proper attachment of traditional motorcycle tie downs. The profiles of these handlebars are either flat or curved downwardly, making it virtually impossible to properly attach tie down hook devices. In addition, many custom motorcycles have handlebars made of special alloys, are painted, or have special coatings and the traditional hook mechanism can mar the finish. A prior art approach to hold the cycle in place from the handlebars is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,202 issued Jul. 5, 1994 to Stubbs. While this is an improvement over prior art handlebar connected tie downs in that it employs cuffs over the handlebars through which retaining straps fit, it has the disadvantage of not being adapted to fit every type and shape of handlebar. When using this device, the tie down is attached to loops extending from the ends of the handlebars which transfers stressful force is developed during transport on the handlebar bracket which is located at the center above the front fork assembly of the handlebars. This type of tie down places a very heavy load on the handlebars which can bend or break the handlebars themselves or their brackets.